Rhodia Energy Services (RES) is in charge of energy supply management and production for Rhodia and third parties.  It also manages projects initiated by the Group to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change.

In 2010, Rhodia Energy Services announced it intends to develop 'climate care' solutions related to energy production from renewable biological materials, a rapidly growing market. This is based on the unique body of expertise in areas related to energy and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions that RES has developed for the last ten years.

CO2 & energy activities include the purchase and supply of energy for the needs of the Group (mainly electricity and gas), the management of projects to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) and the optimization of the sale of CO2 credits (through orbeo, the JV with Société Générale, one of the largest financial services group in Europe). In 2009, Rhodia Energy Services managed € 700m of energy purchase and 14 Mt carbon credits (CER) sales.

In January 2011, the World Bank audited Rhodia's Paulínia (State of São Paulo) plant to ensure environmental and social quality and the sustainability of the N2O Emissions Reduction Project installed there. In addition, the company’s environmental and social practices and standards were evaluated through document analysis, visits and consultation with company representatives, public servants, the local community and other stakeholders.  A copy of this document is available for viewing at the Paulínia plant. If you are interested, contact Ovídio Domingues by email (ovidio.domingues@br.rhodia.com) or by tel:+55 19 3874-8377.

Control of energy costs is largely dependent on the adaptation of an integrated approach to purchasing, industrial processes and market optimization. Rhodia Energy Services was one of the founders of Exeltium, a consortium comprising some of France’s most electro-intensive companies. Exeltium has signed a 15-year electricity supply contract with EDF, with prices indexed to nuclear energy prices.

Through its climate care activities, Rhodia Energy Services offers solutions that enable partners outside the Group to reduce their energy costs and environmental impact. It is also developing a portfolio of renewable energy production from biomass in Europe, Asia and Brazil.

In 2010, Rhodia Energy Services launched two biogas projects in China and Vietnam. Rhodia is managing the design and the construction of both facilities, as well as the operations and sales of the biogas produced.

In Southern China, Rhodia Energy has partnered with the Siyuan ethanol factory to build a covered lagoon reactor, specializing in the treatment of waste water. The second project is based at the Nuoc Trong cassava starch factory in Vietnam. It will produce 15,000 m3 of biogas daily from the treatment of cassava starch effluents. The unit will also reduce CO2 emissions by 12,000 tons per year at full capacity.

In Brazil, Rhodia Energy Services has partnered with Paraiso, a privately-held company, to develop its first bagasse-based biomass project. Paraiso has a plant that produces ethanol and sugar from sugar cane. Rhodia Energy Services will upgrade and operate the cogeneration unit using the plant’s biomass as a raw material to produce electricity, while Paraiso has committed to supply Rhodia with all bagasse and other sugar cane solid waste on an exclusive basis. Most of the electricity generated by the cogeneration unit will be sold to the grid, while the Paraiso site will also be supplied with electricity and steam by the new unit.